Coffee for the Holidays

Bodhi Day, a Buddhist holiday,is December 8. Chanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights is  December 9. Christmas, the traditional Christian holiday, is December 25. Kwanzaa, an African-American tradition, starts December 26. New Years Eve is celebrated by most of the world as a geophysical or planetary revolution which marks another year according to the Christian calendar. That is celebrated on December 31st, and upon January 1st. In January the year will be recorded as 2003 A.D. ,the Latin "Anno Domini" meaning "in the year of our Lord" two thousand and three years after the birth of Christ Saviour, Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of a type of Reform Judaism called Christianity, which emerged during a period named "The Golden Age of the Rabbinate".

This year I toured the net to discover Islam. We are all familiar,largely due to commercialism in the West, with the traditional foods, plants and wrappings of more well-known festivals. There are reminders of the season everywhere. Racks of exquisite poinsettias, garlands of stars, millions of lights, shelves groaning with marzipan fruitcake, nuts and eggnog abound on every corner. But those of us who have grown up with this culture don't see much of quiet Islam and its traditions.

This link below is a reference for dates and other events.
http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/sc/0112/sc0112-light.html


  During Ramadan, Islamic worshippers are encouraged to fast from sundown until sunset, so they miss lunch for nearly two weeks. There are very sound social reasons for this practice: in an article which offers real religious concepts to the Islamic populace and to yourself via the Internet, the Imams,or religious leaders of Islam ,tell you that the devotion of fasting is urged in order to stimulate compassion amongst the rich and middle class, so that people do not forget the suffering of those who are deeply poor in the world. Traditionally, in a well- socialized effort, a dana of food is given to poor people, and also money is given in by the body of faith for specific development to protect poor people (like an orphans fund).

Here, below, is a quotation from articles denoting the thoroughness of the effort, as well as what the devotional is called.

"

Who Should Give Zakaat

The obligation of Zakaat is mandatory on every Muslim who possesses the minimum Nisaab, whether the person is man, woman, young, old sane or insane. Because the proof of Zakaat in Al-Qur`an and Sunnah is general and does not exclude young or insane. Allah (SWT) stated that: "Of their goods take alms so that thou mightiest purify and sanctify them..." (Al-Qur`an, 9: 103)

Imam Ibn Hazim said that every Muslim young or old sane or insane needs to cleanse his or her wealth with Zakaat because of generality of the evidence. Anas bin Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Trade with the money of the orphan, lest it is eaten up by Zakaat." (At-Tabraani) In another Hadith `Amru bin Shuaib related from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah said:

"Whoever is entrusted with money of an orphan should trade with it and should not leave it sitting to be used up by charity." (Tirmidhi)

The Nisaab will not be valid unless it fulfills two conditions:
1) The amount that has reached Nisaab must be the excess or surplus known as "faadil" from one's essential needs such as food, clothing, housing, vehicles, tools and machinery that is used in business. The essentials for living are exempted from Zakaat.

Although what constitutes nisaab may change from one country to another, the amount that is needed for the basic needs of living in different countries is very similar, because the market place determines the prices, whether it is an official market or a non-official market. In the poorest countries people do without or live below the poverty standard, and that is why many go hungry or without basic essentials.

However, we must realize that Zakaat is an act of worship (ebadah) like Salaat. The element of intention (niyyah) is necessary, and we should not overly rely on state agencies to determine for us the requirements of our religious duty. The so called the "consumption basket" (that is poverty level as determined the social security administration which are updated every fiscal year) may not be the same as what Islam considers minimum Nisaab.

1. Farm produce of seeds and fruits, such as wheat, barley, rice, dates, raisins, cocoa, pistachios, coffee, cashews. Allah (SWT) stated: "O you who believe, give of the good things which you have (honorably) earned, and of the fruits of the earth which We have produced for you..." (Al-Qur`an, 2: 267) Also: "... But render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered..." (Al-Qur`an, 6: 141) Thus, these two verses and many others indicate that Zakaat is due on farm products that reached the minimum amount (nisaab). No farm product is liable for Zakaat unless it is a product that is considered as food and can be stocked or saved naturally without refrigeration. If the produce is perishable fruit, such as grapes, there is no Zakaat. But if one sells them they will pay their Zakaat on the profit earned when it matures. "

There is a most comprehensive guide to many aspects of Islamic religious practice in the link below:

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/pillars/fasting/tajuddin/fast_79.html#HEADING140

"Farm produce of seeds and fruits, such as wheat, barley, rice, dates, raisins, cocoa, pistachios, coffee, cashews."

After the Fast of Ramadan,banquets consisting of hundred of dishes are prepared for the Feast to follow. Everyone comes to the Festive meals, and you have not seen eating until you have checked the list of beautiful dishes prepared for Ramadan in celebration!

'In the books of Bukhari and Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "The people will always remain in a good state of mind and body (during fast) so far as they hurry in the breaking of the fast and delay the sahur."'

In no way is the fasting enforced (at least if people act in accordance, sensibly,with the concepts as provided) if a person is ailing, disabled or in some way made weak by lack of food or cold. Islamic laws urge people to consider their responsibility to others to stay healthy and alive, for the benefit of all, and in fact say: " Make haste to break fast". The break of fast at the end of a fast day or in between as health allows, is usually made at first by eating dates and drinking water, both purifying.If dates are not available, any fruit is suggested. Having fruit during a fast is a good rule of thumb. Most people over the age of thirty are urged by Doctors to fast on fruit and vegetable juices rather than to go without foods entirely.

Reading avidly about my favourite beverage, coffee, I discovered that coffee was indeed a provider of medecine. Its principal ingredient, caffeine, is used, for instance, in the prevention of wasting syndrome during chemotherapy for cancer.Beside preventing nausea leading to starvation during this type of therapy, coffee is recommended before meals to prevent overeating, so it is also a dietary aid.

Reading two excellent articles on coffee and its products, I learned that actual coffee leaves could be harvested and made into a beverage leaf tea which tastes lke a combination of coffee and tea. It  is considered most refreshing and enjoyed by, for instance, the people of Sumatra, who do not use the coffee bean at all! The dried leaves of the coffee are roasted and then used in infusion. They contain more caffeine than actual coffee bean beverage, but it is caffeic acid.

The caffeic acid isolated by Stenhouse from coffee leaves, in 1854, is probably identical with the kinic acid obtained later by Zwenger and Siebert (in 1861), from Java coffee. The latter, by oxidation with sulphuric acid and dioxide of manganese, yielded kinone (quinone). The viridenic acid of Rochleder (1848), is thought to be a mixture of several acids."

"Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—An infusion of roasted coffee is an agreeable stimulant, anti-soporific, and anti-emetic. It produces a mild, stimulating influence upon the organs of digestion, facilitating digestion, augmenting the biliary flow, and increasing peristalsis, thus favoring a free action from the bowels. It slightly accelerates the circulation; taken too freely, it impairs the nervous and digestive systems...Black coffee removes that drowsiness which is a apt to follow a heavy dinner. A cup of strong coffee will cause a degree of wakefulness for several hours, and will frequently overcome the soporific or intoxicating effects of opium, morphine, or alcohol. In delirium tremens strong black coffee acts as a good and valuable hyposthenisant...When partially carbonized it may be used like charcoal, as a dressing for gangrenous and other foul ulcers."

 The above, being part of a quite complex view of coffee in medecine, is quoted, with apologies to the authors,in brief from:

The quotation about medicinal use of coffee above is from the website as listed below.A really very extensive study of coffee and medicinal use also contraindications, can be found in Kings Medica, a link to which is below.

 http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/eclectic/kings/caffea.html

Whatever your faith, give generously to those less privileged than yourself, and don't forget, even a friendly cup of coffee shared away from Winters cold and damp can change a persons outlook for the better, and potentially save a life.